How to avoid packing on the holiday pounds this winter

With the holiday season already in full swing, temptations are aplenty in the form of good food and bad weather keeping people from being active outdoors.

The fear of holiday weight gain fueled by more food and less activity is one that has persisted for years, experts told The Dispatch.

Most people actually gain only a couple of pounds at over the winter months, said Amy Lewis, supervisor of clinical nutrition at Mount Carmel. The problem lies with those who don’t work off the one or two pounds after the holidays, because after a few years that weight can add up, Lewis said.

“Don’t stress too much, because most people don’t gain 10 pounds,” Lewis said. “After the holidays though, it is important to get back into a healthier routine before next year’s (holidays).”

Still, Lewis said it’s easy for many healthy habits to take a backseat to other priorities over the holidays as people are preoccupied with house guests, gift giving and other seasonal stresses.

With that in mind, here are some tips from dieticians and trainers on how to avoid falling into an unhealthy holiday spiral.

It’s OK to indulge sometimes

It’s unrealistic to expect someone to turn down every piece of pumpkin pie or Christmas cookie offered around the holidays, Lewis said.

It’s fine to enjoy some of the seasonal baked goods, so long as eaters don’t go overboard. The same goes for any

holiday beverages, including beer, wine and cocktails, Lewis said.

“One of the things I try to stress to people is don’t make unrealistic expectations for yourself,” Lewis said. “I think it’s absolutely OK to do some of those things . ... If you don’t, you’re just going to deprive yourself and overdo it somewhere else.”

When it comes to alcohol and other holiday drinks, people need to be mindful of how much they’re having, said Priya Patel, a dietician with Ohiohealth’s Mcconnell Weight Management Program. It’s far easier for people to drink a bunch of calories without noticing, since it doesn’t fill them up, Patel said.

“A lot of people are drinking wine and cocktails around the holidays; ... it’s hard because everyone is sipping on something,” Patel said. “I always say try to sip on water in between so you feel included but you’re not overdoing it.”

Don’t wait on New Year’s resolutions

While people often wait until Jan. 1 to make new commitments to working out or eating healthier, it might be a good idea to start sooner, said Jephthah Lawson, a manager and trainer at Powerhouse Gym Downtown.

Often, Lawson said, people start exercising more in the new year as part of resolutions or to work off weight they put on over the holidays.

Early January might be a bad time to start working out though, Lawson said, because gyms are usually packed with people feeling the same way. Trying to find a less busy time to exercise, or waiting to use a specific piece of equipment, can be a deterrent and actually backfire on someone wanting to get more active, Lawson said.

“There’s no reason at all not to start now,” Lawson said. “Honestly, it takes 21 days to build a habit, so if you are starting Jan. 1 when everyone else is starting, you’re going to get discouraged.”

Even just trying to squeeze in a few more minutes of exercise here and there can also help around the holidays, Lewis said.

People should consider going for a walk after a heavy meal or dessert, Lewis said. If it’s too cold to go outside, Lewis said climbing stairs at home is also a good way to work off some extra calories.

Going back for seconds

With a cornucopia of good food and big meals around the holidays, it can be easy to overeat, experts told The Dispatch.

There are a few ways to avoid filling up too much though, they said.

People who are still hungry after polishing off some holiday ham or turkey should go back for seconds with a smaller plate, both Patel and Lewis suggested. Using a smaller dish can help prevent someone from overdoing it with more food, they both said.

It’s also not a bad idea to pick some of the healthier options available if a person is still hungry enough for seconds. People tend to load up on food that’s high in carbs and should consider some less starchy vegetables as their sides, Patel said.

The two dieticians also said people need to give their stomach time before piling up another plate.

The body, Patel said, takes anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes to signal to one’s brain that it’s full and satisfied. If people go back for a second helping too quickly, they could be circumventing that stomach signal and end up feeling overstuffed.

“Your stomach doesn’t have time to give your brain that signal when you eat fast,” Patel said. “Slow down when you eat and that’s going to make a huge difference.” mfilby@dispatch.com @Maxfilby

DORAL CHENOWETH, DORAL CHENOWETH Even adding a few extra minutes of exercise a day can help keep the end-of-year weight gain at bay, said Jephthah Lawson, operations manager at Powerhouse Gym Columbus in Downtown.